Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the first appointment?
In order to tailor a treatment plan specifically for you, I need to have a thorough understanding of your challenges. As such, the first session is spent getting to know you. I’ll be listening out for the factors that may have contributed to your current challenges and may be keeping them going.
The first session may also include a brief discussion of your goals for treatment.
How long do sessions last?
All sessions are 50 minutes long.
Can I get a Medicare rebate?
You will need to see your GP who will determine whether you are eligible for a Medicare rebate. If so, you may be able to claim up to 20 Medicare rebated sessions per calendar year with a Mental Health Care Plan. The rebate for each session is $129.55.
How many sessions will I need?
This may be difficult to answer without having a better understanding of what you wish to get out of therapy. Generally speaking, the longer and more persistent an issue, the more sessions you may need in order to achieve your desired goals and outcomes.
While tools, strategies and ‘quick fix’ solutions can be helpful, they don’t tend to address the underlying issues which, when healed, can lead to longer term change. Imagine a patient who needs blood transfusions because they keep loosing blood. While the addition of blood to their system can certainly help them keep going, we also need to address why they are loosing blood in the first place. Therapy can be a little like this. Often the symptoms are indicative of a deeper cause, and longer-term change usually happens when we explore, understand, and heal the underlying causes.
What happens in therapy?
After obtaining a shared understanding of your challenges, a treatment plan will be developed and agreed upon together. This will serve as a guide for future sessions to ensure that we meet your goals.
Sessions may involve a mixture of talking and practical exercises. Most likely, there will be between session activities for you to complete in order to practice new skills and solidify any gains made during our time together.
Who do I help?
I work with individuals aged 18 and over as well as couples. Please note that I do not work with children or adolescents.
What's the difference between a psychologist and a clinical psychologist?
Choosing someone to work with is an important decision and you may be confused by all the different names out there: life coach, counsellor, psychotherapist, psychologist, clinical psychologist. It can be a minefield! To help simplify things, think about it this way. Chances are, anyone who you are considering working with has had specialist training. The differences in the names and titles can be thought of as a difference in education. For example, most (if not all) psychologists have had 4 years of university education with an additional one or two years of practical/supervised experience. Many clinical psychologists have had 4 years of university training, then completed at least 2 years of higher education training (at a masters or doctorate level) and an additional 2 years of supervised experience.
Regardless of who you decide to work with, you may wish to ask your treating professional about their training background, any associations they have membership with and their preferred working modality. As for me, I’m a member of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA).
What's the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that has undertaken a medical degree at university then completed further training in mental health. They understand the biological basis of mental illnesses and can prescribe medication where needed. A psychologist has not completed a medical degree and therefore cannot prescribe medication for mental health issues. The underlying premise of psychiatry is that medication changes the way individuals think, feel and behave through biological mechanisms. Clinical and other psychologists also aim for change in feelings, thoughts and behaviour but use different methods to enact these changes. These methods might include, amongst others, talking, increasing insight and awareness, identifying and coping with emotions, and increasing motivation to change behaviour.
Can you prescribe medication for me?
Since I have not completed a medical degree, I cannot prescribe medication for your mental wellbeing. If you wish to explore medication as part of your treatment, you may wish to speak to your GP. Your GP may also refer you to a psychiatrist for a more comprehensive exploration into the best medication for your individual circumstances.
Do you offer online sessions?
I offer face-to-face and online sessions. Telehealth sessions are eligible for the full Medicare rebate of $129.55 per session for up to 20 sessions in a calendar year.
Are online sessions secure?
I use an integrated telehealth system which lets me conduct secure video calls with you. It’s end-to-end encrypted and suitable for use in Health Care. If you choose to have a telehealth session, I will email you a secure link which you can use at the time of your session. This link requires no software download.